Game reviews
Fly Like a Bird (series) The title of this game basically says it all, a game where you can "fly like a bird". Before I begin, there is three games, so far, in the FLAB series, but I'll start off with the first game and go in chronological order. Fly Like a Bird (1) Fly Like a Bird started out as a test game in 2005 and, although I started off with the second FLAB, this game was the one that launched the trilogy and started this indepent series. The first FLAB's graphics are primitive in comparison to FLAB 2 and 3 (both installments show major improvements from the first), but this is expected since it is a test. The bird model that players control is quite unattractive and there is no added details, like eyes, feathers, etc. And due to the more recent advanced computers, the bird flies ridiculously fast. Another major flaw to this game is the difficulty of finding chips. Chips, by the way, fill your poo meter, which can be used on traffic wardens that can be found throughout the cityscape. In other words, this game needed some major improvements and, fortunately, it has. Fly Like a Bird 2 The sequel to the hit game Fly Like a Bird, FLAB 2 provides much more than the original and proves how advanced the game has come to be. The graphics and details have definitely improved. The bird is now a pigeon and has the missing details from the original. There is also an added multiplayer mode (or MMO), in which players from basically anywhere can come together to chat, poo, and interact with each other. The flying is also not too fast. In other words, this was a major step up from Fly Like a Bird. flab2.PNG flab2-1.PNG flab2-2.PNG Fly Like a Bird 3 An advance from Fly Like a Bird 2, FLAB 3 is the ultimately improved and expanded version. It started in 2010 and has since grown and has become a popular game. It started out with three birds (pigeon, crow, and seagull), but due to more demands, there have been added birds. To name the current ones: pigeon, crow, seagull, starling, robin, and an eagle. You'll also have to be ready for more updates, as the game designers are working on ways to improve and expand the game, meaning more birds are planned in the near future. The game has the basics of its predecessor, chat, poo, flying (of course), and multiplayer mode. There are different types of food for different types of birds (i.e. meat for eagles.) The other foods include chips, pizza, and cherries, which are all food for other birds, except for eagles. These are all located, along with twigs, by compass arrows, which are color-coded to recognize different things. There are also three landscapes to choose from: cityscape, hillside, and island. Now, I really feel I should describe each individual bird. The pigeon is simple, somewhat slower than the other birds, and is generally tedious. I do not recommend trying to escape with this particular bird, unless you have Cheat Engine installed, as it will not make much of a smooth getaway. The crow, on the other hand, is a bit faster and is an overall better choice. It is also not limited to one particular kind of food, it eats all types, and is generally harder to poo on than, say, an eagle. The seagull is probably one of the least-played birds, particularly because it is slower and is an easier target. However, it is the only bird to be able to swim without damaging HP and, no matter how high a dive, almost always lands softly without crashing. Now, the starling is a rather small bird, more lightweight, and probably one of the best choices if you want to poo and run, as it is a very fast bird. And the fact that it's small makes it extra difficult to poo on. Unfortunately, it easily crashes and is extremely sensitive to water. The robin was just added recently and is another small bird, somewhat smaller than the starling, but not by much. Its wingbeat is rapid and fast-paced. However, robins run out of poo quickly (this damages HP.) Lastly, the eagle. It is a very nice bird, probably the most-played, but I feel is oversized and very bulky. It's also a very easy target, so killing one isn't much of a challenge. I do recommend this bird, however, it is, like I said, a bit large and a particularly easy target. Unfortunately, the latest updates have lost the immortal cheat, which before, by clicking three times fast on a chosen room, can make you impermeable to bird poo. I constantly click in this manner in hopes of the glitch working again. The only way you can '''be immortal is Cheat Engine, which is also a bit annoying, particularly for those who don't have the program. Why? With Cheat Engine, players can also poo and egg on other birds remarkably faster than usual repeatedly without being affected in the process and this gives you little time or chance to escape. This is very annoying, as is spamming. During spamming, other birds will occasionally spam the chat by putting something completely irrelevant or off-topic repeatedly in the chat box, which interuppts conversations. Cussing might also be a problem, but this is often censored and will usually say "I have a foul tongue!" in place of what you orginally intended to say. Sometimes people will use your name (or "clone" you) to get revenge by making you say rude things or to confuse other players. If you notice sometimes everyone departs, it's a glitch. It is annoying, but just exit and go back in, which should return it back to normal. There also used to be the ability to build nests in trees, but updates have discontinued that. Hopefully, it'll return within the next update or so. Anyways, FLAB 3 is highly-recommended, great 3D graphics, a variety of brids to choose from, and overall funner than its two predecessors. No download required, unless you count the Unity Web Player plug-in, but that takes an instant to install and is guaranteed a safe installation and will definitely not harm your computer in the process. Just go to Gamevial for all the FLAB games, along with others (including Knight of the Dragon, a game I'm about to delve into right now.) Eagle.PNG Crow.PNG Seagull.PNG Starling.PNG robin.PNG FLAB3.PNG FLAB 3.PNG seagullstare.PNG pigeonstare.PNG Knight of the Dragon Gamevial has done a wonderful job with their games and really inputs a lot of hard work into them, Knight of the Dragon is no exception. This is a game where you can play as either a knight or a dragon. By locating and coming in contact with the three green dragons eggs located in a nearby cave, you can transform yourself into a dragon, and then can transform back into a knight by flying towards the baby in the cradle near a cement wall. As a dragon, you can breathe fire on your opponents and kill them. You can also change colors from green to red by passing through a red eye at the top of a hill. As a knight, you can obtain different weapons: a shield, a cross bow, and a golden sword; all of which are spread throughout the landscape. You can also turn into a spirit. To the left of the bridge, there's a broken wall. On it, there's a ring. Walk up to that ring and you'll turn into a spirit. Other players will only see you as a pair of red eyes. The graphics are very impressive. And for some reason, I like the way Gamevial does their humans. The scales on the dragon are also very realistic and the lighting is very well-done. You can choose between night or day, but I honestly prefer night, so I recommend you use it. The only flaws for this game are as follows: the fact that you cannot do immortal cheat anymore honestly sucks and dragons cannot swim for some reason. Still cannot quite figure out why. There's also this irritating glitch (happens every so often), where a player will keep duplicating as they move and creates a trail of cloned models. Just exit and go back in to prevent it. Other players will also follow you until you're dead, which is extremely annoying. The game itself has a somewhat quiet atmosphere, meaning, even though there's quite an amount of people playing, it's less crowded and more empty than, say, FLAB 3 (which is sometimes a bit crowded.) Something about this game is just peaceful and not too hardcore, like many other games. No gore, blood, or any of that other violent things that I honestly hate. Like all the other Gamevial games, no download requires, excluding the plug-in (which takes a minute to install.) All-in-all, I'd say this this a pretty decent game, not as good as Fly Like a Bird, but still good in its own regards. Dragon1.PNG FightDragon.PNG Knight Dragon.PNG knight.PNG knight1.PNG Knight2.PNG Wolfquest Wolfquest is another 3D MMO game. Unlike the previous games, this one's a download. You also have to register and wait for the admin to accept you, which can take awhile. Until then, you can only play in single player mode. There's two areas: Amethyst Mountain and Slough Creek. Personally, I prefer Amethyst Mountain, but it seems more people go to Slough Creek. At the beginning of the game, you can choose your wolf's gender and configure its fur color to your liking. Anyways, you can hunt elk and rabbits. You can also kill coyotes, but you can't eat them. Bears are also in the game, but they usually run away at the sight of you. You can switch from walking to running by pressing '''Q. Press V '''to switch to scent mode. In scent mode, you can locate a prey item by following its trail. In single player mode, you have to find a mate. Do this by following one of the wolf icons on your compass. At least one of them will accept you. Although, I'm still not sure how to make puppies. Multiplayer mode is just a place to hang out and chat with others. You can also start a room. Like I said, you can only play in multiplayer, until the admin has accepted your registration. Oh, and there's also a secret ranch, which can only be found in Slough Creek in single player mode. On your compass, locate an icon that looks a bit like a fence. Follow that icon and you'll eventually be lead to a ranch. Once in the ranch, you'll see a fence with cows inside. You can kill the calf, but the cows usually attack you. After awhile, you'll hear dogs barking and you'll be shot, unless you reach the portal fast enough. This portal will lead you back into Slough Creek. The graphics are also really good. Although it '''does tend to get a bit tedious at times, it's a really fun game. There is, however, a few mean people. Also, if the chat bar does not recognize certain words, it will turn into question marks and not go through. If that happens, you'll have to change the words, so that it does recognize it. Basically, it's a great game, especially for them wolfaboos. wolfrun.PNG wolfwalk.PNG WolfHunt.PNG wolfbear.PNG wolfeat.PNG wolfpup.PNG Dinosaur World Dinosaur World is basically an educational game. It features dinosaurs from the Waking with Dinosaurs series: allosaurus, stegosaurus, diplodocus, etc. For 2001, the graphics are pretty good. In the game, you walk around and search for different objects. Once you find an object, a narration will come on explaining what it is and it will be checked off your sightings list. Find all of the objects, and you can hitch a ride on a pterosaur and it will take you to a secret area. Here, you can place different dinosaurs whereever you want. First off, the game is excellent, but I was slightly disappointed that you can't play as an actual dinosaur. However, don't let that stop you from playing. It's still worth-it. There's also an issue in the secret area (well, for me at least) where it freezes. Then I have to use task manager to close out the game. Like I said, though, that's just for me, so it may not apply for you. Being a major dinosaur fanatic, I really enjoyed this game, so I recommend you give it a try. dinosaur.PNG DinoWorld.PNG stego.PNG The Endless Forest Here, you get to play as a deer and run around exploring the forest. You have to download this game, but it's still really worth-it. Also, it isn't frustrating. There's no rules to follow, either. You can also set it as your screensaver. You start off as a fawn and eventually reach adulthood. At the bottom of the screen, there's a command bar. Click on an action you want your deer to do. For example, you can make it hop or bow down. If you want to run instead of walk, hold the mouse down while you're walking. Use the scroller on the mouse to zoom in or out. Only other players can change your appearance or shapeshift you by casting spells on you. There's only like about two or three things you can do to change your appearance yourself. Also, appearances last only awhile when you're a fawn, so you have to save it and keep on reloading the previous look. This is pretty much the only flaw in the game. There is no chat bar, instead you use the command bar. If you want to communicate with other deer, make sounds and such. I just think the deer faces should be normal. It's a bit creepy because they have human faces. You can always change this by obtaining masks from other players. Otherwise, it's a really good game and it's absolutely free! deer.PNG deer1.PNG deer2.PNG TEF_Guest_20110926_001008_399x-13_00001.PNG TEF_Maximum737_20111116_192633_-29x-108_00001.PNG TEF_Maximum737_20110927_170016_4x-43_00002.PNG TEF_Maximum737_20110927_164819_235x127_00001.PNG TEF_Maximum737_20110927_210436_321x392_00001.PNG World of Tanks I, Predator I, Predator is basically a survival game where you play as either predator or prey in the animal kingdom and have to meet all the challenges each individual creature has to encounter and acquire food and water when your in need of it, all at the same time while making sure you're safe. You can also chat and interact with others, either by chat box or microphone. There are three episodes of the game. The first episode, Lion Vs. Buffalo, is pretty decent, but not quite as good as episode two, Cheetah Vs. Antelope. The first episode starts you off with a buffalo and you eventually get to alternate to lion and vice-versa, as with the other episodes. I seem to face the constant issue of this particular episode freezing up on me halfway through gameplay, which sucks. Luckily, it doesn't do that with the other episodes, at least for me. Cheetah Vs. Antelope is the better episode, in my opinion, and seems to attract the most players. Both the cheetah and doe are relatively fast. As doe, you can joust with other opponents and compete for does. The winner obtains their doe and runs off with her triumphantly. In order to survive as a cheetah, you have to kill and eat prey. The third episode, Shark Vs. Seal, is my least favorite, however, is still okay. While you're an antelope, other antelopes will constantly joust you, which tends to get annoying. They will also sometimes ram you in the butt. Same thing for cheetah, too, as antelopes will constantly ram you since you're the predator. There's also the issue of mic, which is also annoying. Sometimes people scream, shout, sing, or cuss into the mic. If that happens, there's a "mute players" option. I also don't like how little time you get to be the predator. Anyways, this is a really great game and worth playing. The installation is quick and easy, no set-up or any other stuff required. It's just hours of addictive fun. And just so you know, it's made by KUMA and Animal Planet. ipmp_003_lionvsbuffalo0000.jpg ipmp_003_lionvsbuffalo0003.jpg ipmp_002_cheetahvsgazelle0000.jpg ipmp_002_cheetahvsgazelle0010.jpg ipmp_001_greatwhitevsseal0008.jpg ipmp_001_greatwhitevsseal0011.jpg Bugdom Back in my elementary days, Bugdom was a game I often looked forward to every Friday at Computer Lab. It just brings back so many memories and reminds me of the good ol' days. So, out of curiosity (and nostalgia), I decided to give it a shot again and try a free demo version. (Now, keep in mind, I played the full version at school, but I didn't want to waste money on it, so downloaded the free version.) You start off in a lawn of grass teeming with other insectoid life (mostly enemies) and you play as a rollie-pollie, Rollie McFly, and work your way through 10 different levels, freeing captured ladybugs and fighting evil fire ant troops. Walnuts scattered throughout the game contain items, power-ups, enemies, keys, etc. You can also save your progress, as well. What I really loved about this game is the surplus amount of lives, which means less-frustrating gameplay. The overall graphics and design of the game are excellent, especially for 1999, and I really liked the background music. However, there are a few flaws to this game (though most are minor), like the fact that you sometimes go too fast while rolling. I also feel the controls are a bit too complicated, especially since it's geared toward kids. Once you get the hang of it, it'll be fine, though. I also think the slugs are a bit oversized and I hate bumping in to them. Not to mention, they're invincible! All-in-all, I'd say this a great game, some slight flaws, but its excellence easily overshadows that. bugdom.PNG bugdom1.PNG bugdom2.PNG 6976-bugdom-2.jpg 6976-bugdom-3.jpg 6976-bugdom-4.jpg Shot in the Dark Yet another MMO game from Gamevial, Shot in the Dark has an eerie feeling, the music really adds to that effect. Walking around in this game is like walking through a graveyard in the dead of night. The fact that there are hardly any players, if any, makes it even extra creepy. Basically, this is a game where you play as a turbin or a knight and walk around shooting arrows at your opponents and you can also chat, but since there's hardly anyone, that doesn't happen often. Just the mystery of the game alone makes it fun and, although the camera angles are sometimes frustrating, it's overall a pretty cool game. In a nutshell, if you're looking for a popular game to chat with friends and hang out all day, this isn't it. If you're in just for the creepiness and mystery, then yes, this is it. shot.PNG shot3.PNG shot4.PNG shot5.PNG Chicken Thru Time 2 To be quite frank, the first Chicken Thru Time sucked badly, mostly because it was slow, glitchy, and unattractive, but I'll cut it some slack considering it's one of Gamevial's earlier games. Now, Chicken Thru Time 2 is a major improvement. Rather than the original 2-D based game, this one is rendered completely in 3-D, however, has kept the platforming aspect. Graphics are decent, gameplay is nice, and the overall design is quite honestly mesmerizing. Music, sound effects, etc. are all pretty cool and the lighting is also a nice touch. That said, there are some setbacks. For example, the chicken does jump high at times, however, jumps really low at others, particularly level 3, where I constantly have trouble jumping onto the first platform. Fullscreen sometimes resolves the matter, but not always. Dropping in lava is also irritating. Other than that, this is a pretty cool game. This is, hands down, one of my favorite Gamevial games. chik1.PNG chik3.PNG chik4.PNG chik5.PNG chik8.PNG chik10.PNG Nanosaur Nanosaur is just one of those overall addicting games and, like aforementioned Bugdom, one that I grew up with in elementary and often looked forward to during my freetime at Computer Lab. I'm sure others can agree that this game brings at least some nostalgia to mind. I'm reviewing specifically Nanosaur Extreme, which is basically a slight update of Nanosaur. Let me begin by mentioning this game was made in 1998 (when I was born), so the somewhat subpar graphics are excusable in this case. However, the overall design of the levels and the addicing gameplay makes up for what could've been a bland experience if not executed right. Players take control of a jetpack velicaptor armed with a machine gun that can be used to blast enemies into oblivion. Though running out of ammo can be quite frustrating at times, more ammo is easily acquired through power-ups scattered throughout the landscape. I also find the t-rexes somewhat scary (and irritating) because they pop out of nowhere at random times and start pouncing you. The best thing to do in this case, is to keep your distance and just keep shooting at them. If not, they'll most likely keep pursuing you, until their main goal is accomplished. The herbivores in the game are mostly slow and are not much of a bother, but they will attack you if they see you trying to get their eggs. Just to mention, collecting eggs is pretty much the main object of the game, though you can also play just to shoot for your next highscore. In all, I'd say this is an excellently-crafted game. Sure, it has some minor flaws and primitive graphics, but, like I said, the overall fun and design of the game makes up for that. I honestly don't find the graphics disappointing in anyway, regardless. nanosaur.PNG nanosaur1.PNG nanosaur2.PNG nanosaur3.PNG nanosaur5.PNG Carnival of Pies Yet another Gamevial game, Carnival of Pies is very, very creepy. Basically, you walk around a carnival at night, throwing pies at evil clowns and ghosts. You can also try some of the rides, while you're at it. The graphics are fine, colors are cool and stand out great, and the overall mood is dark and gloomy. Controls and camera angles might be an issue, but this is overall not a major problem. So, if you're looking for something to do while you're bored, try this game. It just might help. carnival1.PNG carnival3.PNG carnival2.PNG carnival5.PNG carnival4.PNG We are the Robots We are the Robots is another great 3D MMO game from the Gamevial Team where you control a mechanically-engineered shooter and wage war against other robots in multiplayer. You are given the choice between a red and blue robot and you can toggle between weaponry by pressing numbers on your keyboard in order to choose a desired gun. The atmosphere in the game is dark, which makes the game all the more suspenseful and surprising if a player were to sneak up on you. This is often one of those games where you have to look behind to make sure no one's sneaking up on you because sometimes you'll die and won't even know what hit you. Sometimes you may find maneuvering is a bit of a challenge, especially in the more darker landscapes, but you should get used to it after a certain time. Also, the game is regularly open to hackers and sometimes this crashes the servers. These hackers will also speed towards you and try to kill you, which often makes escaping impossible. The game also has systermatic chat where there is a robotic voice constantly converting the text to speech, basically a "text-to-speech". WE ARE.PNG WE ARE1.PNG we are2.PNG LIF (Test Terrain) Slender 'Slender '''is a freeware, indie-developed horror game where you play as an unknown character walking around obtaining notes in order to try to escape the tall entity "Slenderman". The game is fairly new and is surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, popular. After hearing all the hype about the game and seeing as how everyone was literally scared by it, I decided to give it a shot. Nothing extraordinary. You just have to collect 8 notes before Slender Man appears. You know when he's near, when you static begins to appear on your screen, but even then, you can still manage to escape by facing a direction opposite from Slenderman. Really, to be honest, the game wasn't very scary. Sure, it makes you a little nervous the first time, but when Slender does appear, he does no more than just stand there. Even before he did appear, I still wasn't very frightened. There's absolutely nothing to make you jump or scream at the top of your lungs, so ignore those who say otherwise. ''(Of course, this may vary from person to person.) What's really interesting about this game, however, is the sounds that gradually play when a note is obtained. This builds up the suspense and tension. The best thing to do is to keep walking; no turning, no standing idle in the middle of nowhere, and it also helps to turn off your flashlight from time to time. slen.PNG